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PERKINS  LIBRARY 

Duke   University 

Kare  Dooks 

CIRCULAR, 


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At  the  recent  conference,  at  this  place,  between  the  Lieutenant- 
General  commanding  the  Trans-Mississippi  Department,  and  the  Governors 
aDd  other  officials  of  the  States  comprised  in  it,  the  following  resolution 
was  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved:  That  to  harmonize,  and  infuse  vigor  iuto,  the  patriotic  efforts 
of  the  people,  diffuse  correct  information,  and  discourage  disloyalty ,  an 
organization  should  be  instituted,  as  follows: 

"The  Governors,  for  the  time  being,  of  the  Trans-Mississippi  Depart- 
ment should,  unofficially,  compose  a  Oommittee  of  Public  Safety,  with  a 
Chairman  to  call  it  together,  when  necessary,  and  act  as  its  agent,  and 
should  provide  for  Committees  of  Correspondence  in  each  county  and 
parish,  to  correspond  with  the  Governor  of  their  State,  and  with  the 
Committee. 

"The  people  of  each  county  and  parish  should  form  a  voluntary  Con- 
federate Association,  to  cooperate  with  the  Trans-Mississippi  Committee 
of  Public  Safety,  and  the  corresponding  committees." 

The  Committee  of  Public  Safetv  having  been  immediately  organized, 
as  recommended  in  that  resolution,  the  undersigned  was  ehoaen  its  Chairman. 

The  conference  unanimously  took  a  cheerful  and  hopeful  view  of  the 
condition  of  our  affairs.  A  free  interchange  of  opinions  and  information 
disclosed  many  preparations  and  resources  which  the  wise  secresy  charac- 
teristic of  our  military  leaders  lias  kept,  and  must  continue  to  keep,  from 
the  knowledge  of  the  public.  The  Confederate  and  State  governments 
have  directed  their  efforts,  with  considerable  success,  towards  enabling 
this  department  to  meet  its  own  military  wants.  Letters  from  the  Presi- 
dent and  Secretary  of  War,  written  since  their  knowledge  of  the  fall  of 
Vicksburg  and  Port  Hudson,  show  that  constant  and  strenuous  efforts  will 
continue  to  be  made  by  the  Confederate  authorities  to  extend  us  liberal  and 
effective  aid. 

The  loss  of  our  Mississippi  strong-holds  «  as  followed  by  unwarrantable 
apprehensions  in  some  portions  of  this  department,  The  comparison  of 
intelligence  from  all  quarters  shows  that  our  population  is  still  not  only 
true  but  confident  of  final  success.  Those  apprehensions  arose  mainly 
from  ignorance  of  our  own  resources,  an  impression  that  we  might  be 
deprived  of  the  aid  of  the  Confederate  government,  want  of  correct 
intelligence  of  passing  events,  difficulty  of  communication  between  the 
inhabitants  of  our  sparsely  settled  country,  but  above  all  else,  from  the 
absence  of  concert  of  action  among  zealous  patriots  and  the  seemingly 
systematic  diffusion  of  false  and  discouraging  rumors  by  the  public  enemy 
and  the  few  traitors  whom  the  generous  liberalism  of  our  institutions  per 
mits  to  continue  unchecked  within  our  borders. 

Phe  .ii.inuiii  exists  among  a  few,  .  but  more  fixedly  in  the  other  section 
of  our  Confederacy  than  in  our  own,  i  and  is  sedulously  propagated  by  the 
enemy,  that  a  feeling  is  spreading  in  tins  department  in  favor  of  separation 
from  our  eastern  si-ins,  ami  even  the  erection  of  a  Mississippi  Valley 
Republic.  Investigation  has  shown  this  opinion  to  be  unfounded:  no  indi- 
vidual who  avows  a  preference  for  any  such  project  can  be  discovered. — 
Occasionally,  some  person  suspects  some  other  ot  favoring  it;  invariably, 
that  other  denies  the  charge.  Such  an  origin  of  a  false  alarm  is  familiar  in 
the  history  of  the  strategetic  an  ,.f  military  lying.  The  few  disaffected  in 
our  land  who  d  sin  ■  reconstruction  of  Federal  tyranny  ovcrus.in.i  istriously 
sprea.1  rumors  of  such  plans,  in  ihe  hope  thereby  to  distract  learten 

us     Urn  the  innate  silliness  of  dividing  the  South  in  the  1  enemy 

who  boasts  that  he  .an  sul. .In,    ns  though  united,  will  b  ry  such 

scheme  from  the  minds  of  patriots. 

Besides  tl imaginary  apprehensions  there  arc  o-  I  real,  hin- 

drances to  a  muted,  \  jgorOUS  an.  1  enthusiastic  prosed,"  war.     The 

wh perils  his  life  in  battle,  cannot  feel  coutei  .   anyshould 

shirk  their  dun  m  absences  without  leave,  or  evade  the  utmost  ,'igilance  of 
the  conscription  ..Miens.     The  citizen  who  lib, .rail'.  ir  army  at 

moderate  rates  it  disgusted  at  the  sight  of  men  devising  schemes  to  avoid 
their  due  shares  ol  the  public  burthens,  or  to  increase  tacit  wealth  by  specu- 
lating on  the  necessities  of  the  government  or  ol  indi  li  [Tie  sternest 
regulations  fail  to  prevent  occasional  insolence  or  tyrat  nj  officials,  or  in- 
.  leasable  violations  ol  private  rights  bj  thoughtless  01  in  lubordinate  strag- 
glers. These  evils  it  is  difficult  entirely  t.>  prevent  in  time  of  war;  but  to  the 
.  xt.  in  t..  uln.-Ii  thej  .  xiat,  the)  tend  to  diminish  thi  zeal  ol  our  people  in 
defence  of  their  independence. 

icwspapers have  unavoidably  become  few  and  of  diminished  dimen- 
sions; prude  joins  on  them  silence  in  regs  matters, — 
Communication  by  mail  is  difficult.  Thus  deprived  ..I  much  of  tho  light 
xvhich.in  time  of  peace,  enterprising  public  journals  and  private  correspon- 
dence can  throw  on  the  conditio'.-.,  resources  and  wants  ol  every  locality,  the 
-vil  aud  nidit  ir     luthoritii  s  frequently  fail  to  obtain,  that  oiinuie  and  regular 


information  which  would  enable  them  to  act  promptly  with  a  thorough 
knowledge  both  of  the  temper  of  the  public  mind,  and  of  the  means  at  their 
disposal  to  conduct  the  war.  The  impaired  efficiency  aud  activity  of  the  usual 
police  authorities  is,  in  some  districts,  inadequate  to  the  task  of  keeping  a 
proper  xvatch  upon  the  elements  of  disorder  which  abound  in  every  country 
in  time  of  xvar,  and  xvhicb  must  also  exist  in  ours. 

The  remedy  for  the  ailments  thus  debilitating  the  body  politic  is  Vol 
lntarv  Organization  of  the  people,  not  to  do  anything  whatever  above  or 
against  the  l.axv,  but  to  aid  and  sustain,  by  lawtul  means,  legally  constituted 
authorities  in  the  performance  of  their  arduous  duties.  Already,  in  several 
portions  of  this  department  this  idea  has  germinated  in  the  niiuds  of  ardent 
patriots.  The  design  of  the  Marshall  conference  is  simply  to  accelerate,  and 
gi\'e  the  sauctiou  of  the  regular  constitutional  authorities  to,  a  movement 
which  promised  speedily  to  become  general  aud  spontaneous  among  the 
people. 

The  name  "Confederate  Association"  has  been  adopted  as  indicative  ol 
the  purpose  of  the  organization  to  sustain  the  cause  of  the  Confederate 
States.  As  it  is  designed  to  embrace  all  citizens  true  to  the  cause,  a  formula 
of  membership  has  been  suggested  which  is  believed  to  be  comprehensive 
yet  unexceptionable.  The  purposes  and  organization  of  the  Association 
being  divested  of  all  secresy,  and  membership  being  wholly  voluntary,  no 
reasonable  objection  can  be  made  to  if.  A  candid  explanation  of  its  nature 
and  objects  will,  it  is  confidently  expected,  make  it  generally  acceptable,  and 
the  wider  the  extension  of  it,  the  greater  will  be  the  security  for  a  discreet 
management  of  its  affairs.  The  formula  of  membership  is  appended  to  this 
circular;  when  any  member  is  prevented  from  affixing  his  signature  in  person, 
the  list  should  show  die  individual  by  whom  the  signature  is  written;  the 
postotlice  of  each  member  should  be  stated  to  facilitate  the  distribution  of 
documents  by  th."  Association  and  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety 

The  details  of  organization  of  each  Association  are  left  to  the  discretion 
of  its  members;  a  president  and  secretary  are,  of  course,  indispensable.  It 
may  be  divided  into  precinct  associations,  where  practicable.  To  facilitate 
its  extension  no  general  contribution  should  be  expected  from  members,  but 
the  few  expenses  necessary  should  be  paid  by  the  liberality  of  the  wealthy. 
As  soon  as  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  citizens  present  in  a  county  or 
parish  shall  have  joined  the  Association,  it  should  be  organized.  It  should 
also  select  tyvo  or  three  of  its  most  active  members,  men  of  sound  judgment 
and  having  the  coutidcuce  of  their  community,  as  members  of  a  Committee 
of  Correspondence;  these,  with  such  others  as  the  Governor  of  their  State 
I,  ,i  .the  deem  it  advisable,  add  to  their  uumber,  will  compose  that  Cora 
mittee.  The  names  and  postofflce  addresses  of  the  officers  of  the  Associa- 
tion, and  the  members  of  its  Committee  of  Correspondence,  should  be  imrae- 
.liai.lv  communicated  to  the  Governor  of  their  State,  and  also  to  the  Chair 
man  of  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety. 

Every  Confederate  Association  is  expected  to  exert  itself  in  keeping 
alive  the  fervid  patriotism  of  the  people  by  meetings  at  suitable  times,  fre- 
quent informal  gatherings,  and  occasional  public  speeches.  Its  officers 
should  pay-  special  attention  to  the  dissemination  of  accurate  intelligence  of 
current  events;  one  of  the  main  duties  of  the  Committee  of  Public  Safety 
will  be  to  initiate  measures  for  promptly  furnishing  these  officers  xvith  such 
intelligence.  They  should  also  endeavor  to  correct,  and  prevent  the  diffusion 
of,  exaggerated  or  false  reports  coming  from  the  enemy's  lines  or  originating 
with  his  spies  and  secret  agents  among  us.  To  these  ends  they  should  aid  in 
extending  the  circulation  of  reliable  newspapers  thoroughly  devoted  to 
our  cause,  and  counteract  the  baleful  influe.ice  of  tho'e  in  which  are  to  be 
found  the  croaking*  or  evil  suggestions  which  alarm  timid  hearts.  Where 
the  conduct  of  a  suspected  spy  or  secret  agent  of  the  enemy  is  such  that  the 
layv  can  reach  him,  the  Association  or  its  officers  should  collect  the  evidences 
of  such  conduct,  and  promptly  communicate  them  to  the  proper  civil  or 
military  authorities.  Each  member  should  consider  it  his  special  duty  to  be 
vigilant  in  discovering  the  discontented  or  wavering,  andin  persuading  them 
into  a  just  appreciation  of  their  duties  as  citizens;  In  visiting  soldiers  who 
are  absent  without  leave  and  persons  who  avoid  conscription,  and  in  urgiug 
them  to  hasten  to  their  camps.  Where  reasoning  fails,  the  men  thus  neg- 
lecting their  military  obligations  should  be  reported  to  the  proper  officer. 

The  Association  can  be  of  great  use  in  giving  to  quartermasters  and 
other  government  officials,  and  their  agents,  accurate  intelligence  concerning 
the  resources  of  its  neighborhood.  Especially  when  impressments  are  ne- 
cessary, it  may  by  timely  communication  xvith  the  officer  enable  him  to  make 
them  in  the  manner  least  inconvenient  to  the  people,  axoid  throwing  iLc 
whole  burthen  on  liberal  men,  and  prevent  the  cunning  or  sordid   from  es- 


tion  should  collect  the  evidence  and  make  the  charge  before  the  proper  au- 
thority, military  or  civil.  By  thus  aiding  good  officers,  and  reporting  the 
worthless  or  evil  disposed,  the  Association  can  powerfully  contribute  towanls 
diminishing  the  expenses  of  the  war,  and  weeding  out  inefficiency,  the  great 
curse  of  our  military  establishment. 

This  organization  might  thus  become,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word  and 
without  conflict  with  the  law,  a  Committee  of  Vigilance  to  watch  over  the 
public  safety.  No  false  sense  of  delicacy  should,  in  this  time  of  peril,  hinder 
any  one  from  aiding  the  public  authorities  by  giving  them  the  full  intelligence 
without  which  they  might  be  unable  to  execute  the  laws  rigidly  ami  im 
partially. 

In  the  counties  and  parishes  exposed  to  incursions  or  occupation  by  the 
enemy  the  Association  might  assume  the  duty  of  acting  with  the  authorities 
in  preventing  false  alarms,  obtaining  and  circulating  correct  information, 
organizing  for  local  defence,  and  in  giving  order  and  security  to  the  removal 
of  families  and  property  out  of  reach  of  the  enemy. 

No  Association  should  permit  its  organization  to  become  languid  although 
it  may  for  along  time  find  very  little  to  do.  It  cannot  know  at  what  moment 
it  may  be  callea  on  to  exert  its  utmost  energies;  let  it  be  always  ready  to 
answer  the  call.  The  system  is  designed  to  continue  throughout  the  war;  a 
main  object  of  it  is  to  organize  thoroughly  adi  ana  of  any  emergency,  for 
when  the  emergens  comes,  there  may  be  no  time  to  organize.  It  is  no  un- 
tried plan,  but  is  borrowed  from  the  system  of  local  organization  which  car- 
ried our  forefathers  successfully  through  the  first  years  of  the  revolution  of 
1776.  Mad  we  had  such  an  organisation  in  the  parts  of  the  Confederacy 
which  have  been  overrun  by  the  enemy,  their  fate  might  have  been  far  differ- 
ent from  what  it  is.     Let  us  take  warning  from  their  calamities. 


The  duties  of  each  Committee  of  Correspondence  will  be  few  but  very 
important.  It  should  keep  itself  informed  ot  the  eenditiou  of  its  countv  01 
parish,  and  by  conci*  IB&aecuratt  letters  maintain  a  regular  but  not  burthen- 
some  correspondence  with  the  Governor  of  its  State.  A  similar  correspon- 
dence, un  matters  of  general  interest  to  the  departmeit.  should  be  kept  up 
with  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Public  Saret-v.  who  will  remain,  as 
far  as  his  official  duties  will  permit,  near  the  general  commanding  this  de 
purtment.  Letters  to  him  can  be  addressed  to  the  departmental  headquar- 
ters. Such  correspondence,  conducted  with  disparch  and  conscientiousness, 
mav  furnish  a  most  valuable  fund  of  information  to  our  civil  and  military 
authorities. 

This  circular  will  be  forwarded  to  a  few  citizens,  indicated  by  the  Gov- 
ernor of  the  State,  in  each  locality,  as  a  call  on  them,  to  proceed  immediatclv 
to  the  organization  of  a  "Confederate  Association."  You  are  among  the  citi 
zens  so  selected  and  it  is  hoped  that  you  will  undertake  that  labor,  calling 
your  patriotic  neighbors  to  your  aid.     Yon  and  they,  by  completing  that  or- 

fanization  will  establish  a  just  claim  to  the  grateful  reurembtaoce  of  all  true 
earted  Confederates. 

I  am,  Sir,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant. 


*#£•.      £ 


•Ste^s  't  *■  /  **£s 


Chmrman,  Trans-Mississippi  Committee  ef  Pobli'"  Safety 


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©DIItj* 


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We  the  undersigned,  have  become  Members  of  the  CONFEDERATE  ASSOCIATION  of 

County,  State  of ,  and  solemnly  pledge  ourselves  to  each 


other  and  to  our  country,  that  we  will  support  and  defend,  to  the  utmost  of  our  ability,  the  independence  of  said  State 
and  the  Confederate  States  of  America. 


Signature: 


Post-office: 


Date  of  Sicnati're: 


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